1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices, and more particularly, to manually operated forceps useful in the manipulation and examination of a female cervix.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of manipulative instruments in the course of examination of a patient, or in the course of a surgical procedure, are well known in the art. Thus, various forceps and retention devices have been developed in the past which, in one way or another, conform to the physiology of a person. Specific amongst these prior art devices are various forceps or tenacula of more or less general application and also various retention tools and forceps conformed for particular aspects of the patient's anatomy. Amongst these are various forceps or tenacula conformed for intra-vaginal use, including tenacula providing retention and forcing of the cervix in the course of abdominal hysterectomy.
One example of hysterectomy forceps is set out in the teachings of Shellhouse U.S. Pat. No. 2,583,892 in which semicircular, arcuate jaws are useful in grasping the cervix and also to delineate the cervico-vaginal juncture by upward pressure. While suitable for the purposes intended the foregoing forceps do not fully accommodate the range of exocervical dimensions, particularly where the exocervix is unusually small. Rev. Moreover, since the foregoing forceps are directed for abdominal hysterectomy procedures little or no visual and manipulative convenience is provided for vaginal hysterectomy.
Instruments useful during vaginal hysterectomy are exemplified in the teachings set out in U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,215 issued to Richmond in which suprapubic retractors are disclosed to provide visual and manipulative access to the cervix. While extremely useful in retraction and exposure of the vaginal vault, these teachings do not address the subsequent manipulative task of transvaginal excision.
The other prior art teachings, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,120,302 to Ziegler; 3,779,248 to Karman; and 4,192,313 to Ogami all concern protective aspects in the course of cervical contact and thus do not address the forced manipulations entailed in the course of excision.
Thus, a forceps structure useful in the manipulation of the cervix during transvaginal removal of the uterus is generally required, and it is one such structure that is disclosed herein.